WWI/WIA SAN JUAN HILL SPANISH AMERICAN WAR 10th CAVALRY GENERAL DOCUMENT SIGNED

Description

MALVERN HILL “
MAL
” BARNUM, SR.
(1863 - 1942)
US ARMY DECORATED WEST POINT MAJOR GENERAL,
WWI BRIGADIER GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ARMY, TAKING COMMAND OF THE 183
rd
INFANTRY BRIGADE, 92
nd
DIVISION IN FRANCE A.E.F. 1917-1918
CHIEF OF THE AMERICAN SECTION OF THE INTER-ALLIED ARMISTICE COMMISSION 1918-1919,
WIA SPANISH AMERICAN WAR 1
st
LT and ADJUTANT OF THE 10
th
US CAVALRY – WOUNDED-IN-ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL ON JULY 2, 1898,
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AIDE TO GENERAL J. WESTON IN THE PHILIPPINES 1899-1902
&
ADJUTANT OF THE 8
th
US CAVALRY
Malvern Hill Barnum’s father, Civil War General Henry A. Barnum, was gravely wounded on Malvern Hill during the Civil War, and for that his son, Malvern Hill Barnum was named
!
HERE’S A DOCUMENT SIGNED BY BARNUM ON “
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT, NEW YORK”
LETTERHEAD, 1p., DATED JAN. 7, 1899, - SPECIAL ORDERS No. 5, ISSUED BY ORDER OF COLONEL MILLS TO THE COMMANDANT OF CADETS, GRANTING A 3-DAY LEAVE OF ABSENCE TO WEST POINT CADET
GEORGE BLANCHARD COMLY
(1878 - 1931)
WWI COLONEL OF CAVALRY, UNITED STATES ARMY, IN THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES IN FRANCE, and PHILIPPINE WAR CAVALRY LT.
The document measures 8” x 10½” and is in very good+ condition, written on lightweight paper stock.
A FINE ADDITION TO YOUR AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY AUTOGRAPH, MANUSCRIPT & EPHEMERA COLLECTION!
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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES RE GEN. BARNUM
Malvern Hill Barnum
(September 3, 1863 – February 18, 1942) was an American army officer,
Brigadier general
, and
Major general
active during
World War I
.
Barnum was born in
Syracuse, New York
. In 1886, he graduated number forty-two of seventy-seven from the
United States Military Academy
.
After graduating, Barnum was commissioned in the
Third Cavalry
in 1893, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
He became a distinguished graduate of the Infantry and Cavalry School and was on duty at
Rock Island Arsenal
from 1893 to 1894.
In the Santiago campaign, he was adjutant of the
Tenth Cavalry
and was wounded on July 2, 1898, at San Juan Hill, with a gunshot wound to the hip.
From 1899 to 1902, Barnum was assistant quartermaster at the United States Military Academy. For four years, he was aide to General J. Weston in the
Philippines
, and from 1910 to 1911 he was adjutant of the Eighth Cavalry. In 1915, Barnum graduated from Army War College and was on General Staff duty until 1917.
On October 31, 1917, he was made a brigadier general of the National Army and took command of the 183rd Infantry Brigade, 92nd Division. From December 1918 to July 1919, he was the chief of the American section of the Inter-Allied Armistice Commission. From 1920 to 1923, Barnum commanded the Disciplinary Barracks at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
. On February 9, 1923, he became a brigadier general and was given command of the 18th Infantry Brigade. Barnum became a Major general on June 12, 1927 and retired the following September.
Barnum was commander of the Massachusetts and national commander of the
Loyal Legion
.
Awards
Barnum was awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal
and the
Purple Heart
from the United States,
commander of the Legion of Honor
from France, commander of the
Order of the Bath
from Britain, commander of the
Order of Leopold
and
Croix de Guerre
from Belgium, and the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
from Italy.
Death and legacy
Malvern Hill Barnum died at the age of seventy-eight on February 18, 1942.
Family
Malvern Hill Barnum’s father, Civil War General Henry A. Barnum, was gravely wounded on Malvern Hill during the Civil War, and for that his son, Malvern Hill Barnum was named. In childhood, he and his father collected bird's eggs.
At the battle of San Juan Hill, Malvern Barnum was shot through the hip, exactly 36 years after his father was shot through the hip at the Civil War battle of Malvern Hill. Malvern Hill recovered and contracted typhoid fever. He recovered from that as well and went on to serve in France in World War I.
Father of Malvern Hill Barnum Jr.
Brother: Raynolds Barnum.
Father: Henry Alanson BARNUM
b: 24 Sep 1833 in Jamesville, Onondaga, New York, USA
Mother: Lavina KING
b: 21 Jan 1840 in Otisco, Onodaga, New York, USA
Marriage 1 Martha Scribner MAGINNESS
b: 1868 in ,, Indiana, USA
* Married: 24 Oct 1889 in , Floyd, Indiana, USA
MG Malvern Hill “Mal” Barnum, Sr
Birth
3 Sep 1863, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, USA
Death
18 Feb 1942 (aged 78), Brookline, Norfolk County, MA
Burial
United States Military Academy Post Cemetery
West Point, Orange County, New York
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BIOGRAPHY OF COL. COMLY
USMA Class of 1900. Cullum No. 3990.
Sixty-Third Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York
, June 9, 1932, The Monroe Printing Co., Inc., Newburgh, New York.
George Blanchard Comly
Died May 18, 1931, at Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, D.C., aged 52 years.
George Blanchard Comly
, the son of Major Clifton Comly and Sarah (Garrard) Comly, was born at San Antonio, Texas, September 9, 1878. His father, an officer of the Regular Army, was at that time in command of the San Antonio Arsenal. Major Clifton Comly was the son of Richard Nesbit Comly who was at one time associated with his brother William in the ownership of the Dayton (Ohio) Journal and Julia (Sanders) Comly. Clifton Comly was born at Dayton, Ohio, on May 31, 1841 and graduated from West Point in the class of 1862. He saw active service in the Civil War and displayed high soldierly qualities, later becoming a highly admired and respected officer of the Ordnance Department. At the time of his death, in 1894, he was President of the Ordnance Board, a member of the Board of Ordnance and Fortification and the Commanding Officer of the New York Arsenal on Governor's Island in New York Harbor.
Sarah (Garrard) Comly was the eldest daughter of William H. and Sarah (Thomas) Garrard, who were both born in England. Thomas Thomas, her maternal grandfather, came with his wife to this country in 1832 when Sarah Thomas was a mere child. Settling in New York, Thomas Thomas became a prominent architect there. William H. Garrard, who later married Sarah Thomas, became a well-known businessman in Pittsburgh and here Sarah Garrard spent her girlhood until her marriage to Major Comly.
Major and Mrs. Comly had three children. It had been their intention to have George, the youngest, follow in the footsteps of his great grandfather and become an architect. But after Major Comly's death, as a tribute to his services in posts of distinction, President Cleveland gave an appointment to West Point from the United States
at large
to his son, George, who at that time was living in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
My acquaintance with George Comly started at
Jimmy
Braden's. The National Preparatory Academy was then at Highland Falls, New York. George arrived in the winter of 1895-1896 to prepare for the entrance examinations which were to be held at West Point in the following March. How well I remember him as he appeared at that time - a blonde, slight figure buried in a huge
turtle-neck
sweater - his frank and cheerful demeanor - his keen sense of humor - his friendly manner - his pride in and loyalty to his father and mother - and his high standards of what was befitting a cadet and an officer. By the time the examinations were held we had become good friends and we entered West Point on June 15th.
During
beast barracks
one of the things that impressed me about George was his freedom of action. I had seen practically nothing of the army and during the early weeks of our stay at West Point I hesitated to make any excursion outside of the area of barracks and when I did so, I took no chances. But on the contrary, George, who had spent all his life in the army and who had lived with his parents at West Point, sauntered about when off duty with great nonchalance. He met and stopped to chat with old friends, residents of the post. He behaved, in general, as if he were entirely at home. He seemed to consider almost with disdain the ferocious first-class men who were in charge of
beasts
. At West Point, as the four years went on, Comly and I grew very close. We lived together in yearling year, in second-class year for a long time in first-class year. He was a loyal, considerate, generous and devoted friend. He was all man and all gentleman.
Graduating June 13, 1900, George Comly was assigned as a second lieutenant to the 5th Cavalry and joined at Fort Myer, Virginia, in August. In March 1901, he started for the Philippine Islands, where he served with the 5th Cavalry near Manila for several months when he was promoted first lieutenant as of February 2, 1901 and was assigned to the 3d Cavalry.
My own promotion and assignment to the same regiment came at the same time and in September 1901, George and I traveled on a Spanish coasting vessel from Manila north to Salomague where we landed and joined our respective stations.
We served in the Ilocos country until May 1902, when the regiment was ordered home. We reached San Francisco in June and soon started by marching for the Sierras. The Headquarters of the 2d Squadron and Troops
E
and
F
, proceeded together through the Santa Clara Valley and into the San Joaquin Valley. As we approached the foothills, the column separated, Headquarters and Troop
E
continued on to the Yosemite Park, while Troop
F
, to which Comly belonged, proceeded to the Sequoia National Park, where Comly was stationed until late October or November 1902. Upon his return to the Presidio, Comly, with Troop
F
, was ordered to Fort Yates, North Dakota. His stay here was short, as in December 1902, he was ordered to the Headquarters of the Department of Dakota, at St. Paul, Minnesota and was assigned temporarily to the staff of Brigadier General W.A. Kobbe. Here he stayed until May 1903 when he was ordered back to the 3d Cavalry at Boise Barracks, Idaho, where he served until August.
On August 20, 1903, he was detailed as Instructor in the Department of Drawing at West Point and there he spent four happy and profitable years.
Almost immediately upon his relief from West Point in August 1907, he went to the Philippines to join the 3d Cavalry and was at Camp Stotsenburg until the regiment returned to the United States, where it landed in February 1908.
From that time until January 1913, with the exception of occasional leaves of absence, his time was spent on the border, - at Del Rio, at Fort Clark, at Fort Sam Houston, at Brownsville, at Austin, at Fort McIntosh, at Fort Bliss and at Love's Ranch [For exact dates see
Cullum's Biographical Register
]. He was promoted Captain of the 3d Cavalry on March 11, 1911 and in January 1913, he again set out for the Philippines.
On February 1, 1913, he was transferred to the 7th Cavalry; on November 26, 1915, he was assigned to the 1st Cavalry and in December 1915, after a tour spent at Fort William McKinley and Camp Stotsenburg, he returned to the United States. From February 1916, to January 1917, he was again stationed on the border, at Calexico. But there came a sudden change in his fortunes and he was ordered to Washington as an Aide-de-Camp to the President. He served in this capacity until March 1918, having been detailed also as an Adjutant General on December 11, 1917; having served in The Adjutant General's Office in addition to his other duties from August 1917 and having acted as Assistant to the Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds, as well.
The World War made him a temporary Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry on August 5, 1917 and took him to France in March 1918. He went to Langres as a student officer at the Army General Staff College where he remained until August 30, 1918, when he was attached to the 79th Division. On September 18, 1918, he was relieved from duty with the 79th Division and he returned to Langres as an Instructor at the Army General Staff College and remained there until January 15, 1919.
He was promoted Colonel of Cavalry, United States Army, November 14, 1918. On October 18, 1918, he was assigned to the General Staff of the American Expeditionary Forces.
After his relief from Langres, he went to General Headquarters of the American Expeditionary Forces for two weeks, when, on January 30, 1919, he was detailed in the Provost Marshal General's Department, with which he remained until June 1919. In this department, he served as Inspector-Instructor, winning the following letter from his chief:
19 May, 1919.
1. As the work of the Provost Marshall General's Department is nearing its conclusion with the withdrawal of the American Expeditionary Forces from Europe, I desire to express to you officially my keen appreciation of the value of the services you have rendered.
2. You came to this Department at the beginning of our efforts to establish in the Military Police Corps a finer esprit-de-corps and a uniform high standard of excellence in courtesy, service and efficiency. We depended for this very largely on the work of experienced officers as Inspector-Instructors. Your tact, judgment and force in this field have been invaluable and have brought conspicuous results.
3. I am most appreciative of the loyalty and value of your services and am confident that continued success will characterize your future military service.
(Signed) H. H. Bandholtz, Provost Marshall General.
In June-July 1919, Colonel Comly returned from France and was attached to the 3d Cavalry at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, where he remained on duty till August 1920. In the meanwhile, he reverted to his grade of captain, but within ten days was promoted major and a little over two months later was promoted lieutenant-colonel.
In August 1920, he was detailed as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Pennsylvania State College where he remained until August 1922. For the next three years he was at Newark, New Jersey, as Instructor of Cavalry, New Jersey National Guard.
From September 1925, to June 1926, he was a student officer at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, graduating in the Advance Course. In September 1926, he entered, as a student officer, the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth and graduated in June 1927.
He then went to duty in the Militia Bureau at Washington where he served until August 13, 1930, being promoted colonel of Cavalry on March 13, 1929. On August 14, 1930, he reported as a student officer at the Army War College. He did not finish the course. He died, after a double mastoid operation, on May 18, 1931.
His death was a blow to everyone. From the Militia Bureau, his mother received this tribute to his character and personality:
During the period of his service here, he endeared himself to everyone, officers and civilian personnel alike.
He is remembered for his unfailing courtesy and kindness in all his contacts.
From the Chief of Staff, General MacArthur, came this commendation:
The records show that Colonel Comly was a loyal, painstaking and efficient officer who invariably exhibited a keen interest in the performance of the duties assigned him. Of pleasing personality, tactful and dependable, he won the respect and confidence of those with whom he came in contact.
The Executive Officer in the Office of the Chief of Cavalry wrote this:
The cavalrymen here * * * knew your fine son and loved him.
The Vice President of the Class of 1930-1931, Army War College, sent this:
On behalf of the War College Class of which your distinguished son was president, * * *
In the death of Colonel Comly, the country has lost a loyal and most valuable officer and we have lost a much beloved and highly respected friend and comrade.
Colonel Comly was on the General Staff Corps Eligible List and had been awarded the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for services as Instructor, General Staff College.
George Comly's only brother, Garrard, a banker, who had seen active military service in France and who held a commission as a Major of the Reserve Corps, was drowned in Tuxedo Lake; his only sister, Mrs. Marvin R. Maxwell, living in Chicago, survives him, as does his mother.
In the hearts of his friends, the memory of George Comly also survives - the memory of a chivalrous and generous nature - the memory of one who had known alike the sweetness and bitterness of life who had remained unspoiled by its sweetness and whose noble qualities had been refined and tempered, as with fire, by its bitterness.
W.S.G.
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<>
>
Col George Blanchard Comly
Birth
9 Sep 1878
San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA
Death
18 May 1931 (aged 52)
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA
Burial
United States Military Academy Post Cemetery
West Point, Orange County, New York, USA
Show Map
Plot
Section XX, Row B, Site 30.
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